Shakeout device for foundry molds



April 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR 2,741,815

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS.

Filed Dec. 1. 1954 1e Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D80. 1, 1954 April 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 A ril 17, 1956 C. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 APril 7, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR 2,741,815

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS Filed Dec. 1, 1954 l6 Sheets-Sheet 5 A ril 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 April 17, 1956 c YOUNG, JR 2,741,815

SHAKEIOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS Filed Dec. 1, 1954 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Ap 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 April 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR 2,741,815

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS Filed Dec. 1, 1954 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 April 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 April 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 April 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 April 7, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS 16 Sheets$heet 13 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 lll ll April 17, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS l6 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Dec. 1, 1954 n at A a Q M mi April 7, 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR 2,741,815

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS Filed Dec. 1, 1954 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 L! a L'Z 1%. 0 F3 F4 F6 Maw CONVEYOR r 1 i 3 sro srap 874/? STARTER L a? A-/ INTERL 00K {85 0L r' SHE/(E007 ---!-;IF- SCREENSTARI'ER M4 EMERGENCY How Ham Tim RELAY E 5 R3 if: a e-4% c/ F-1 I F- ER-l [ammo/0 VALVE I L J i LA raw/Na REL A v l \M I SOLENU/D l RETURN l [/4 LVE April 1956 c. M. YOUNG, JR

SHAKEOUT DEVICE FOR FOUNDRY MOLDS 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Flled Dec. 1, 1954 kkvoio w Nwxb WSRN United States Fatent 6 SHAKEDUT DEVICE FGR FOUNDRY MOLDS Charles M. Young, Jr., Chicago, Ill., assignor to Link-Belt Company, a corporation of Illinois Application December 1, 1954, Serial No. 472,387

20 Claims. (Cl. 2295.7)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in foundry equipment, and deals more particularly with a fully automatic machine for removing the sand and castings from mold flasks having permanent grid bars in the drags or bottom portions thereof.

In a conventional foundry system, the sand molds are formed in flasks that are open at their upper and lower ends. If the flasks and mold are small, irregularities in the sides of the flask, or the mere adhesion of the sand mold to the flask, will prevent the sand and casting from falling out of the flask during transportation and handling. For large sized molds and flasks, however, it is a usual practice to provide permanent grid bars in the drag sections of the flasks to support the molds until after the castings are poured and to keep the molds intact while the castings cool and the flasks are transported to the shakeout location.

Since the grid bars in the bottom of the flask will prevent the sand and casting from being shaken out through the bottom of an upright flask, it is necessary that the flask be inverted before the shakeout operation can be performed. For fully mechanized foundries, the inversion or rollover of a poured mold and flask, and the shaking out of the sand and casting, usually are accomplished with the assistance of manually operated or controlled devices. With the presently developing use of fully automatic foundry systems, however, the need for a simple and efiicient machine to automatically carry out the above described rollover and shakeout operations has become increasingly great.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a fully automatic machine for removing the sand and castings from flasks having permanent grid bars in the bottorn portions, or drags, thereof.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic machine for removing poured and cooled mold flasks from a continuously moving mold conveyor, inverting the flasks and shaking out the sand and castings, and finally transferring the empty flasks to a conveyor mechanism which will transport them away from the machine to a location for reuse.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a machine which will operate entirely. automatically, and in proper timed relation to the continuous travel or" a flask type mold conveyor, to remove the flasks and their molds from the conveyor, as they reach the location of the machine, and transfer them to a rollover mechanism in which they are first clamped, then inverted and finally unclamped; to move the inverted flasks to a shakeout device in which the sand and castings are discharged; and to finally transfer the empty flasks to a further conveyor mechanism which will remove them from the location of the machine.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine of the above mentioned type in which the transferring of a flask from the mold conveyor to the rollover device will not take place if, for any reason, the previously transferred flask remains 2341,815 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 in the rollover device beyond its allotted time, and in which the mold conveyor will be stopped if a flask carried thereby is moved beyond the point at which it should have been transferred to the rollover device.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an automatic machine of the above mentioned type in which the rollover device will not operate to invert a flask prior to the proper clamping of the flask therein, and the means for moving an inverted flask from the rollover device will not operate prior to the unclamping of the flask that is positioned in said device.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for receiving mold flasks which, when a flask is introduced'thereto, will automatically clamp and invert the flask and will thereafter release the flask for removal from the mechanism.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an inverting mechanism which will be actuated automatically by the introduction of a flask thereto to sequentially clamp, invert and release the flask, and in which the outer face of the cope of the inverted flask will be automatically located at the same level as the bottom face of its drag occupied at the time the flask wasintroduced to the inverting mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fully automatic mold and flask rollover and shakeout machine embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the'machine illustrated in Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4,

Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 2, v

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig.3,

Figure 11 is an enlarged end elevational view of the shakeout unit employed in the machine illustrated in Fig. 1,

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11,

Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 13-43 of Fig. 5,

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the shakeout adjusting mechanism of Fig. 12 in an inwardly adjusted position,

Figure 15 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the transfer unit from which the flasks are returned to a point of reuse,

Figure 16 is a side elevationalview, partly broken away, of the device illustrated in Fig. 15,

Figure 17 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Fig. 15,

Figure 18 is a top plan view of the fluid motor employed in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 15 and the support therefor,

Figure 19 is a fragmentary,.horizontal sectional view taken on line 1919 of Fig. 17,

Figure 2G is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on line 2ii2i3 of Fig. 17,

Figure 21 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on line 21- 21 of Fig. 17.

Figure 22 is a diagrammatic view of the flask rollover and shakeout machine illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the location and arrangement of the limit switches by means of which the operation of the machine is fully automatically controlled,

Figure 2 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuits connecting the various control elements, and

Figure 24 is a time cycle chart illustrating the sequence and direction of movement of the fluid motors employed in the illustrated machine.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment ,of this invention, and first particularly referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, refere a me de gnat s a o v t on l pe o o tinuous mold conveyor made up of uniformly spaced, mold supporting trays 26. Each tray'26 is provided with a switch operating lug 27 and the lugs of all of the trays extend laterally outwardly from corresponding sides thereof. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, flasks 23, containing the sand molds and castings, are supported individually on the trays 26 and the cope 2 9 and drag 31 of each flask 28 are. provided with longitudinal spacer plates 32 at the opposite ends thereof and with laterally projecting guide bars 33 at each end portion of their opposite sides.

Arranged at right angles to one Side of the path of travel of the conveyor is a transfer device A, the actuating element of which is movable across the path of travel of the conveyor to push a poured mold flask :28 pit of its supporting tray 26 onto a series of rolls 34 at the opposite side of the conveyor. The rolls 34 are arranged between the conveyor and a rollover device B to Support the poured flasks 28 for movement from the conveyor to the rollover device.

After entering the rollover device B, each, flask 28, with its sand and casting, is inverted and subseqpently engaged by a transfer device C for longitudinal movement from the rollover device onto a shakeout deviceD where the sand and casting are discharged from the flask. As each flask 28 is moved longitudinally from the rollover device B onto the shakeout device D, the preceding discharged flask is ejected from the shakeout device by en.- gagement between the spacer. plates 32 of the two flasks. Upon leaving the shakeout device D, each flask 28 is moved onto a table of rolls 35 from which it is discharged by a transfer device E onto a gravity type roller conveyor 36 for return to a point of reuse.

Positioned beneath the shakeout device D is a conventional screen 37 for separating the mold sand and castings and a chute or conveyor 38 is positioned at the discharge end of the screen for transporting the castings to any desired location.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3 and 10 for a detail description of the transfer device A, it'will be noted that it is positioned on a support 39 which is formed of suitably reinforced structural members. Extending longitudinally between the opposite ends of the support 3Q are a pair of V laterally spaced angle irons 41, the opposite end portions of which are provided with additional angle members 42 arranged in back-to-back relationship with the members 41. Resting on the aligned top flanges of the angleirons 41 and members 42 at each end of the support 39 are two spaced support plates 43 upon which are securely mounted the opposite end portions of a double acting fluid motor 44. The plates 43 are supported on the angle irons 41 for longitudinal adjustment by bolts 45 which pass through holes in the angle irons and elongated slots 46 in the plates. Projecting downwardly from the plate 43 at the outer end of the support 39 is an adjusting lug 47 which is threadedly connected to a shaft 48 rotatably mounted on the support 39 and having a handwheel 49 mounted thereon. Rotation of the shaft 48 effects longitudinal movement of the plates 43 and the fluid motor 44 and subsequent tightening of the bolts 45 fixes the position of the motor. The plates 43 at opposite ends of the support 39 are provided with vertically extending switch mounting brackets 50 and 51 at corresponding sides of the plates. It will be noted that the fluid motor 44 is supported by the plates 43 in horizontal alignment with the path of travel of the flasks 28 on the conveyor 25.

The piston rod 52 of the fluid motor 44 is provided with an expandable and contractible bellows type protective cover 53 to prevent abrasion of the rod by dust, or the like, and the outer end portion of the rod is pivotally connected to a pusher plate 54 that is suspended from two laterally spaced and longitudinally extending guide members 55. The guide members 55 have outwardly extending flanges confined between the spaced flanges of angle members 56 at each side of the support 39. A hearing plate 57 and guide block 58 are arranged between the vertically spaced angle members 56 at each side of the support 39 to accurately control the movement of the guide members 55. The guide member 55 at the side of the support 39 adjacent the switch mounting brackets 59 and 51 is provided with a switch actuating cam 59 which moves along the support as the piston rod 52 of the fluid motor 44 is extended and retracted. 1

A limit switch Al. is secured to the switch mounting bracket 50 at the outer end of the support 39 and limit switches A2 and A3 are mounted on the bracket 51 at the inner end of the support with each of the three switches having its actuating arm in alignment with the path of travel of the switch actuating cam 59. The operation of the limit switches A1, A2 and A3 will be later described.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the rollover de vice B is mounted on a suitable supporting structure designated in its entirety by the reference character 61. The rollover device B is of drum-like shape and is supported for rotation about its axis by rollers 62 that are mounted on the supporting structure 61 by means of bearings 63. Two spaced rollers 62 are arranged at each end portion of the rollover device B so that the device is supported with its axis substantially in alignment with the mold flask 28 opposite the transfer device A.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, for a detail description of the rollover device B, it will be noted that the end of the device adjacent the rolls 34 is formed of a single, substantially annular end plate 64 having a substantially rectangular, centrally located opening 65 therein. Guide flanges 66 are arranged at each side of the openiu 65 and extend outwardly therefrom so that the lowermost guide flange 66 will lie adjacent the rolls 34 after each 180 rotation of the rollover device B. The lowermost flange 66, therefore, guides a mold flask 28 as it is moved from the conveyor 25 across the rolls 34 and into the rollover device B by the transfer device A. An axially directed tire 67 is mounted on the end plate 64 adjacent its periphery for engagement with the rollers 62 at the flask receiving end of the rollover device B.

The opposite end of the rollover device 53 is formed with an inner plate 68 and an outer plate 69 having a circular tire 71 positioned therebetween slightly inwardly of their peripheries, said plates and tire being connected to each other by circumferentially spaced bolts 72. The tire 71 engages the supporting rollers 62 associated with this end of the rollover device B and theedges of the plates 65 and 69 serve to prevent axial movement of the device on its supporting rollers.

Extending between and connecting the plate 64 at the flask receiving end and the plates 63 and 69 at the opposite end of the rollover device B are four pairs of right angularly arranged plates 73 and 74, best shown in Fig. 6, which are provided with stiffening webs 75 and are arranged to provide rectangular openings at four circumferentially spaced locations in the periphery of the rollover device. The planes of the four openings formed by the angers.

plates 73 and 74 are in alignment with the four sides of the opening 65 in the end plate 64 so that the opposed openings between the plates 73 are alternately positioned adjacent the shakeout device B and the opposed openings between the plates 74 are alternately positioned in alignment with the rollers 34 by each 180 rotation of the rollover device.

Positioned in each of the two opposed openings formed between plates 74 is a mold flask clamping plate 76 which is limited as to its extent of radially outward movement by blocks 77 that are mounted at spaced points around the openings. The outer face of each plate 76 has mounted thereon two longitudinally extending guide members 78 which are connected by cross members 79 having positioned longitudinally therebetween a mounting lug 81, see Figs. 4, 6 and 8. The mounting lug 81 of each plate 76 is located at the longitudinal centerline of the plate and the guide members 78 of the two plates are oflset laterally in opposite directions so that vertically opposed pairs of guides 78 are laterally offset relative to each other.

Each mounting lug 81 has pivotally connected thereto a link 82, the outer end of which is pivotally connected to the inner end of a lever 83 which is pivotally mounted between spaced bracket plates 84 at the end of the rollover device B opposite the flask receiving end, see Fig. 4. Each of the bracket plates 84 is formed with a lug 85 projecting inwardly to support the adjacent edge of the associated clamping plate 76 to limit the radial outward movement of this portion of the plate. The outer ends of the two levers 83 are connected, respectively, to the piston rod 86 and cylinder 37 of a double acting fluid motor 88 so that relative extension of the operating rod and cylinder will cause the clamping plates 76 to move toward each other and relative contraction of the piston rod and cylinder will cause the plates to move away from each other. It will also be noted that for any given relative position of the piston rod 86 and cylinder 87, the fluid motor 88 may move as a unit in either vertical direction While the two clamping plates 76 also will move as a unit, or jointly, at the same time as the motor 88 but in the opposite vertical direction. The extent of vertical movement of the plates as a unit in either vertical direction will be limited by one or the other of the two sets of blocks 77.

At the end of the rollover device B opposite its flask entering end, see Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the guide members 78 on the outer sides of the plates 76 extend into guide slots 89 that are formed in the inner end plate 68. Welded, or otherwise suitably connected, to the end portion of each guide member 78 within its associated slot 89 is a guide bar 91 which extends along the side of the slot between the two end plates 68 and 69 and is provided with a shoe 92. Because of the laterally offset relationship of the vertically opposed guide members 78, the shoes 92 associated therewith are laterally olfset to provide a space between the opposed faces of their overlapped'end portions. Mounted on the outer plate 69 and extending inwardly into the space between the'opposed faces of the overlapped end portions of the shoes 92 is a guide bar 93 which will maintain proper spacing between the shoes and will confine the guide bars 91 and shoes 92 for movements in parallel paths so that the clamping plates 76 will be maintained in substantially parallel relationship.

Mounted on the outer face of each camping plate 76 and extending outwardly therefrom, see Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, is a bracket 94 having a follower 95 mounted on its outermost portion. Two cam plates 96 are mounted above and on opposite sides of the rollover device B in the paths of movement of the followers 95 for a purpose that will later be described.

Mounted on the outer face of the plate 69 in spaced relationship thereto, see Figs. 2 to 5 and 7, is a toothed gear segment 97 that is arcuate in form and extends through slightly more than one-half the circumference of the plate 69. A driving pinion 98 is mounted on a countershaft 99, supported by bearings 101, for driving engagement with the gear segment 97 to effect rotation of the rollover device B. Driven pinien 102 is also mounted on the shaft 99 for rotation therewith and a rack 103 is slidably supported for longitudinal movement in meshing engagement with the pinion 102. As best illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 and 9, the rack 103 is mounted on a plate 104 the opposite side edges of which are positioned between two pairs of guide flanges 105 and are supported on the lower flanges by wear plates 106. Mounted above the supporting flanges 105 is a double acting fluid motor 107, the piston rod 108 of which is connected at its outer end to a bracket 109 secured to the outer end of the rack mounting plate 104.

It will be readily apparent that extension and retraction of the piston rod 108 will cause longitudinal movement of the rack 103 to efiect rotation of pinion 102, shaft 99 and driving pinion 98 which will in turn cause the rollover device B to be rotated about its axis. A bellows type cover 111 surrounds the piston rod 108 of the fluid motor 107 to prevent dust or extraneous material from entering the fluid motor.

As illustrated in Figs, 2 and 9, a switch operating cam 112 is mounted on the bottom of the plate 104 and extends laterally into alignment with the operating levers 113 of limit switches B1, B2, B3 and B4. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the fluid motor 88 for operating the clamping plates 76 has mounted thereon a bracket arm 114 which extends into parallel relationship with the path of movement of the piston rod 86. Mounted on the outer end portion of the bracket arm 114 are limit switches B5 and B6. The operating arms of the limit switches B5 and B6 are arranged in the path of travel of the switch operating cam 115 mounted on the piston rod 86 of the fluid motor 88.

The arrangement and operation of limit switches B1 to B6, inclusive, for controlling the operation of the rollover device B, will be described at a later point.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 for a detail description of the transfer device C, it will be noted that this device includes a double acting fluid motor 116 which is mounted on a suitable supporting structure 117 with its axis in a plane that is normal to the axis of the rollover device B. The axis of the fluid motor 116 is also in alignment with the openings that are formed between the plates 73 of the rollover device B when the clamping plates 76 are in their horizontal positions. The manner in which the fluid motor 116 is mounted on its supporting structure 117 is identical to the mounting of the fluid motor 44 of the transfer device A on its supporting structure 39 and will not again be described, the same reference characters having been assigned to the corresponding portions of the two mounting structures. It will be noted, however, that the switch operating cam 118 associated with the fluid motor 116 is shorter than the cam 59 and that a single limit switch C1 is mounted on the switch mounting bracket 119 at the outer end of the supporting structure 117 and a single limit switch C2 is mounted on the bracket 121 at the inner end of the supporting structure. The manner in which the limit switches C1 and C2 control the operation of the fluid motor 116 will be fully explained at a later point in the specification.

As illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 11 to 14, the shakeout device D includes a support 122 that is rigidly connected to the support 61 of the rollover device B. Loosely suspended from the support 122 by bolts 123 is a side plate 124 the inner surface of which is in alignment with the inner surface of the end plate 68 of the rollover device B. Loosely suspended from the support 122 at the opposite side of the shakeout device B is an adjustable side plate 125 which is laterally movable relative to the side plate 124 and which is supported by bolts 126 which are movable in the slots 127 of the supporting structure, as best illustrated by broken-lines in Fig. 13. Each of the side plates 124 and 125 is provided with a flask supportingledge 128 the top of which is substantially aligned construction so that the following description of the side plate 124 will be applicable to both An outwardly projecting mounting flange 129 is provided at the top of the side plate 124 and is suitably reinforced by webs 131 to receive the mounting bolts 123 by means of which the side plate is suspended from the supporting structure 122. Each bolt 123 is provided with flexible washers 132 adjacent the supporting structure 122 to permit limited vertical movement of the side plate 124 as will be later described. Positioned beneath the mounting flange 129 on the outer side of the plate 124- is a bracket 133 upon which is mounted a conventional type pneumatic vibrator 134 which imparts vibratory vertical movement to the side plate 124 by means of a rapidly reciprocated piston, not shown. 7

Mounted on the outer'side at each end portion of the side plate 12 2- are two vertically arranged guide brackets n D be and 1316 providing vertically extending, opposed grooves for receiving the opposite edge portions of a guide plate 137 that is rigidly connected to the supporting structure by struts 138. The guide plates 137 are vertically movable relative to the associated grooves provided by the brackets 135 and 136 to permit vertical movement of the side plate 12d while limiting its lateral movement.

The guide plates 137 associated with the side plate 125 are mounted on struts 13% having slots 141 therein as illustrated in Fig. 11. Bolts 142 extend through the slots 141 for connecting the struts 139 to the supporting structure 122 in such a manner that loosening of the bolts will permit lateral movement of the struts on the supporting structure. As best illustrated in Figs. ll, 12 and 14, the struts 139 are moved relative to the supporting structure 122 by means of connectors 143 which are threaded through nuts 144 mounted on the supporting structure. The inner ends of the connectors 1 53 are fastened to the guide plates 137 by brackets 14-5 which permit rotation of the connectors relative to the plates for adjusting the lateral spacing between the side plates124 and 125.

Proper adjustment of the threaded connectors 143 will effect and maintain proper spacing between the side plates 124 and 125 so that the side plates will engage the lugs 33 at the sides of their associated flasks 28 to prevent lateral movement of the flasks in the shakeout device D. The ends of the side plates 124 and 125 adjacent the rollover device B are flared outwardly to guide the movement of successive flasks 28 into the shakeout device D.

As each successive flask 28 is pushed out of the rollover device 13 and into the shakeout device D by the transfer device C, the preceding emptied flask will be ejected from the shakeout device by the incoming loaded flask. The emptied flasks 23 leaving the shakeout device D move onto the rollers for successive engagement by a stop 14 which will limit movement of the flask on the rolls 35 to properly position the succeeding flask in the shakeout device, and a pusher 147 which will move the flask laterally oft" of the rolls 35 onto the gravity type conveyor 36. The stop 146 is adjustable toward and away from the shakeout device D so that flasks of various lengths may be accommodated on the rolls 35 and will properly index the succeeding flask in the shakeout device D. The stop 146 and pusher 147 are mounted on a supporting structure 148, which is formed of suitably arranged structural members, and together make up the transfer device E.

Referring now to Figs. 15 to 21, inclusive, for a detail description of the transfer device E, it will be noted that the step 146 is formed of two spaced side plates 149 and a front plate 151 which extends between the two side plates and along the initial portion of the gravity conveyor 36. Each of the side plates 149 is provided with elongated mounting slots 152-for receiving bolts 153 which adjustably connect the side plates to the supporting structure 148. Mounted at both the top and bottom, at the inner end portion, of each side plate 149 are the brackets 154 to which are rotatably connected the inner ends of adjusting bolts 155 which are threaded through nuts 156 mounted on the supporting structure 148 so that rotation of the bolts 155 will cause the side plates to be' Mounted in a suitable opening in the front plate 151,

by means of hinges 157, is a door 158 that is aligned with the shakeout device D for engagement by the emptied 28 ejected from the shakeout device to effect clos- "ng of the door. As is best illustrated in Fig. 19, the door 253 is urged toward its open position by a spring 159 which is stretched between and connected to one of the side plates 149 and an operating arm 161 that is mounted on the door. As illustrated in Fig. 21, the door 158 is also provided with a detent 162 for engaging'the inner surf: e of the front plate 151 to limit opening movement of the door. A limit switch E3 is mounted on the inner side of the front plate 151 with its operating arm 163 continuously engaging the door 158 so that movement of the latter between its open and closed positions will effect actuation of the limit switch. The function of the limit switch Ea in controlling operation of the transfer device E will be fully described at a later point.

. The pusher 147 of the transfer device E is formed with a plate 164 that is suspended for movement along and above the rolls 35 by a channel shaped vertical memher 165 having connected to its upper end portion two horizontally arranged angle members 166 which are confined between vertically spaced guide members 167 and rest upon bearing plates 163. An inverted channel memer 16) is positioned between and connected to the outer end portions of the angle members 166 to maintain proper spacing of the angle members as they are moved along the. bearing plates 16% to move the pusher plate 164 across the rollers 35.

Movement of the pusher plate 164 is effected by a double acting fluid motor 171 which is mounted beneath the channel member 16? and has its piston rod 172 connected to the vertical channel 165. The piston rod 172' Referring once again to Fig. i, it will be noted that a control bridge F is positioned alongside the mold conveyor 25 where it approaches and departs from the transfer device A. The control bridge F includes a guide bar 176 which is arranged in horizontal alignment with the bottom portion of the mold flasks 23 as they approach the transfer device A and converges gradually toward the conveyor 25 to ensure proper alignment of the flasks 28 on the conveyor trays 26 and to prevent accidental engagement between the flasks and the supporting structure 3-) of the transfer device A. The remainder of the control bridge F provides a support 177 which is formed of suitable structural members and upon which are mounted limit switches F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5. The limit switches F2, F3 and P4 are arranged on the supporting structure 177 for successive engagement of their operating arms 178 by the switch operating cams 27 on the 

1. FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A CONVEYOR FOR SUCCESSIVELY MOVING MOLD FLASKS INTO A SHAKEOUT LOCATION, MOLD FLASK INVERTING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID SHAKEOUT LOCATION, MEANS ACTUATED IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF A MOLD FLASK BY SAID CONVEYOR INTO SAID SHAKEOUT LOCATION FOR TRANSFERRING THE FLASK FROM SAID CONVEYOR INTO SAID INVERTING MEANS, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF A FLASK INTO SAID INVERTING MEANS FOR CLAMPING THE FLASK THEREIN, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE CLAMP- 